Opening of CyberSG Talent, Innovation and Growth (TIG) Collaboration Centre
Published on 15 Jul 2024
1 The CyberSG Talent, Innovation and Growth (TIG) Collaboration Centre (The Centre) was officially opened today by Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information. First unveiled in September 2023, it is a joint initiative between the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) that is backed by $20 million funding from the Government and NUS, to uplift talent, innovation, and growth programmes. This strategic partnership aims to establish Singapore as the premier global cybersecurity innovation hub, fostering economic growth and addressing the increasing demand for robust cybersecurity solutions.
2 Located at LaunchPad @ one-north, the Centre will serve as a central nexus, bringing government, academia, and industry together to catalyse impactful initiatives in the cybersecurity sector, to leverage opportunities posed by digitalisation. The Centre will also build upon NUS Enterprise’s extensive global BLOCK71 network and innovation infrastructure, providing cybersecurity talents and companies with access to resources and opportunities for growth1.
3 The Centre’s strategic initiatives are structured around three core pillars – Talent, Innovation and Growth:
4 Talent - The Centre aims to cultivate a diverse talent pool equipped with the skills to apply cybersecurity capabilities across various industries and functions. Simultaneously, the Centre is dedicated to training a critical mass of professionals with advanced cybersecurity expertise. Core programmes include:
(a) SG Cyber Associates, which provides foundational and targeted cybersecurity training for non-cybersecurity professionals to develop cybersecurity skills relevant to their work. Many industry sectors and smaller organisations may not be sufficiently equipped to understand and deal with cyber threats affecting their operations. To bridge the gap, the Centre partners with professional bodies and training partners to introduce SG Cyber Associates to professions such as engineers, auditors, and lawyers, as well as IT and software professionals.
(b) SG Cyber Youth, which provides students with opportunities to explore cybersecurity as a career, and exposure to relevant technical knowledge and soft skills. Key initiatives under this programme include the Youth Cyber Exploration Programme (YCEP) and Advanced YCEP programme which are designed to attract students from secondary schools and tertiary institutions respectively. These programmes impart cybersecurity concepts and provide hands-on experience through practical assignments and competitions. In addition to the knowledge gained from cybersecurity boot camps, top-performing students will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in the Central Capture-the-Flag (CTF) Competition.
(c) SG Cyber Professionals, which provides place-and-train career conversion opportunities for mid-career switchers from diverse backgrounds, thereby bolstering the local cybersecurity workforce and meeting the growing demand for skilled professionals in this critical field.
(d) SG Cyber Talent Development Fund (SCTDF), which encourages communities, associations, and industry partners to develop initiatives that engage, upskill, or advance the cybersecurity workforce.
Key Programme Highlights
- For SG Cyber Associates, the Centre has partnered with the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES) and Temasek Polytechnic (TP) to develop a tailored Internet-of-Things Security Fundamentals course exclusively for IES members. The inaugural session is set for late July 2024. Applications close on 18 July 2024. Interested parties can visit https://go.gov.sg/sca-iestp for more information.
- In the latest call for SCTDF applications, the Centre is supporting various projects, including mentorship programmes, hackathons, and an overseas learning journey to Kuala Lumpur for women cybersecurity professionals. These initiatives promote cross-border exchanges and the acquisition of cyber skills. SCTDF calls will be conducted quarterly and those interested may refer to https://tig.cybersg.sg/sub-program/sg-cyber-talent-development-fund for updates.
5 Innovation - The Centre seeks to drive co-innovation with industry to bridge the path from innovation to commercialisation, nurturing promising cybersecurity companies for Singapore and the region. This will be through two core programmes:
(a) Cybersecurity Industry Call for Innovation (CyberCall), which aims to drive the development of innovative cybersecurity solutions. Through this programme, which is held biannually, CSA seeks to enhance organisations' cyber resilience while providing opportunities for cybersecurity companies to contribute cutting-edge solutions. Each selected solution that meets the eligibility criteria may receive funding of up to S$1 million from the CSA's Cybersecurity Co-Innovation and Development Fund (CCDF).
(b) CyberBoost programme, which provides tailored support for cybersecurity companies in their venture creation journeys, helping them develop, validate, and scale their solutions in Singapore and beyond. Participating companies can take advantage of specially curated trainings and workshops and get connected with selectively appointed mentors. Furthermore, participating companies, along with any other promising international cybersecurity companies, can gain access to incubation spaces at the Centre as well as at the global BLOCK71 nodes set up by NUS Enterprise. Companies can also engage in ecosystem events with end-users, benefit from government grants and industry support, and receive fund-raising assistance.
The Build programme under CyberBoost assists early-stage ventures in testing, validating, and building minimum viable products. Meanwhile, the Catalyse programme empowers companies with existing commercial products to refine their growth strategies, forge international connections, access investment and commercial opportunities, and integrate into cybersecurity ecosystems both locally and globally.
Key Programme Highlights
- The first CyberCall of 2024 was launched on 12 June 2024, unveiling three challenge statements from the industry. Proposal submissions are open until 11 August 2024. Interested parties can also look forward to the second CyberCall and visit https://cybercall.sg for the latest updates.
- Applications for the 1st CyberBoost Build programme closed on 28 June 2024. The inaugural cohort of startup companies will commence training at the end of July 2024. Recruitment for the next cohort will be announced on the official website https://tig.cybersg.sg/program/innovation/.
- Application for the 1st CyberBoost Catalyse programme is now open, more information can be found at https://tig.cybersg.sg/program/innovation/.
6 Growth - The Centre aims to enable cybersecurity companies anchored in Singapore to scale regionally and globally. The core programme, CyberGrowth, is a dedicated cybersecurity-focused export programme that facilitates the expansion of promising cybersecurity companies, and leverage NUS’ BLOCK71 incubation hubs in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the USA.
Key Programme Highlights
- Business Missions - Registration for the business mission to Malaysia has closed. Eight companies will participate in the mission, scheduled from 5 to 9 August 2024. Registration of interest is now open for the subsequent mission to the United Kingdom in November 2024. Details can be found at https://shorturl.at/ARuld.
- Showcases/Exhibition Opportunities - Companies interested in collaborating and exhibiting at RSA Conference 2025, you may wish to contact the TIG Centre at enquiries@cybersg.sg.
1 BLOCK71, a technology-focused ecosystem builder and global business connector under NUS Enterprise has played an instrumental role, particularly through the Innovation Cybersecurity Ecosystem at BLOCK71 (ICE71), in the early development of the region’s cybersecurity innovation ecosystem since 2018.
